Applying for and obtaining a UK visitor’s visa for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is very stressful, especially the first time. It is also harder for some people to get in than others. Unfortunately, here as elsewhere, money counts and people from poorer countries have to provide evidence that they will not be a burden on the state. This applies to Thais It may appear that the embassy staff are against you at times. This is not true, they are doing their jobs: they are looking out for the interests of the British people and it would benefit you not to get personal with them.

Please remember that if you are successful in obtaining a UK visitor’s visa in Bangkok, it is valid for multiple entries into the UK over a period of six months. However, the embassy is loathe to give a UK visitor’s visa to a Thai the first time round as they know that not many Thais could afford to stay there that long without working. So you will be asked to state when you will arrive and when you will leave. You have to sign this note and it will be stapled into your passport. You must aide by this self-inflicted limitation, although your visa is sill nominally good for six months.

The visa also expressly forbids the Thai applicant access to any ’social benefits’ such as social security, health care or pension rights. Be aware that many/most Thai applicants are refused their first attempt, because their submission is ‘half-hearted’. If the stated reason is, say, to visit a friend or lover, the you really need to prove an on-going, long-term relationship of at least six months with your partner.

I will concentrate on providing evidence of a continuing relationship. Most applicants from Thailand will need a sponsor. This is usually an employer or a lover. Obviously, immigration stamps in a passport can prove how long it is possible that a couple could have known each other, but you will need more evidence than that. A letter from a friend, employer or relative stating when you met can help. However, you should keep all correspondence, telephone bills, bank statements (recordings of ATM transactions), restaurant receipts, theatre tickets, train and bus tickets, even menus and photos. In fact, anything that can help establish that you are having the relationship that you claim you are having and that you have had it for at least six months.

Then you can proceed by obtaining the ‘Visa Application Form (VAF) from the British embassy in Wireless Road, Bangkok or from its website. The website is very helpful for advising what you should include with your visa application form, but it will often include the ‘evidence’ mentioned above, the passport, the fee, photos, and sponsor’s letter etc. In fact anything that helps you prove your case even a little bit.

The sponsor is, therefore, the key to making a successful (first) attempt at obtaining a UK visitor’s visa for a Thai. The sponsor has to be prepared to act as guarantor for the applicant and the embassy staff will want to be able to check the sponsor’s ability to take care of him/her.

Your friendly sponsor will have to make you an offer of a holiday with accomodation in the UK. Then he will have to back up his claims with written proof. If he says he has money, he will need a letter from his employer or the bank. If he says he has a house, he will need a letter from his mortgage provider, a contract, deeds or a letter from the council. Marriage is not an issue, but some odd reasons given for refusal are:

“the applicant for a UK visitor’s visa has never been abroad before ” this is a very simple matter to remedy, just go to Burma, Cambodia or Laos for a short trip.

“”the applicant for a UK visitor’s visa does not appear to have strong social or economic ties to Thailand”: they don’t trust you to return to Thailand. The solution is to get your boss and /or the puyai bahn (village elder) to write a letter saying that you are a responsible employee / family member.

Do not be tempted to hurry the application for a UK visitor’s visa. Ensure that you have a ‘valid reason’ for wanting to go to the UK and remember it; ensure that you can prove everything that you say. Pretend for the day of the interview for a UK visitor’s visa that you are a lawyer and provide solid, written proof.

Run through your story until you have it well-rehearsed (they will not want to see the sponsor and sometimes, he is not even allowed to wait on the embassy compound). The applicant for a UK visitor’s visa will be required to attend an interview the first time and this can be held in English or Thai. The UK visitor’s visa will normally be available for collection the next day.

Advice: if you want to stay in Britain for two weeks apply for four, because you don’t have flights yet and you may be delayed on your return. Also, if you kneed to cancel your visa, don’t fly back on a Friday, because the embasy is closed for the weekend.

Please do not be tempted to lie! The embassy staff are trained to weed out liars and they are good at their job. It will cost you your UK visitor’s visa if you are caught out. If you don’t know an answer, just say so.